Numerous types of networks have been developed to provide communications between physically distinct locations including long distance phone networks, wide area networks for data interconnects over medium and long distances, and local area networks for connections between users in a business or campus environment. Because the number of electronics devices in the home and their computing power is constantly increasing, there is also a need to interconnect these devices, which may be computer based (e.g. personal computers, or appliances containing computers) or entertainment based (e.g. stereos or televisions).
In-home networks can be created by connecting devices using existing twisted pair wiring in the home. The in-home twisted pair is typically a copper wire bus structure which is presently used to distribute telephone service throughout the home. In typical homes the twisted pair bus exhibits limitations in terms of both the information carrying capacity as well as the number of twisted pairs which exist in the home which can be used to support in-home communications.
The coaxial cable in the home could also be used as an interconnect media, but is typically connected to a passive splitter which does not have electrical characteristics appropriate for in-home device-to-device connections. In addition, the coaxial cable in the home is almost exclusively used for distribution of cable TV signals and thus has a spectrum which is largely occupied.
In the area of telecommunications, there have been advances in Fiber-to-the-Curb (FTTC) technology. FTTC technology is based on the use of telecommunications terminals called Broadband Network Units (BNUs) which are located near the subscriber homes and are connected to the telephone central office via optical fibers. Connections from the BNU to the subscriber home are made via a coaxial cable and/or copper twisted pair cable. These FTTC systems are capable of delivering video, voice and data signals to devices in the home, and will typically use the Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) standard to provide these various services from one single data stream.
The FTTC network is capable of providing traditional phone service as well as advanced data and video services including Video on Demand (VOD) which will allow the consumer to choose from a multitude of video programs, and fast forward and rewind through the program. However, present FTTC networks do not support connections between devices in the home. In order to send data from a computer to a printer or a television in the home, it is still necessary to have dedicated cables, or complex wireless or infrared connections between the devices.
For the foregoing reasons there is a need to have a communications system which supports traditional telecommunications services as well as advanced and video and data services, but which can also interconnect in-home devices.